A Maltese man who contracted COVID-19 while in India to adopt a baby girl died on Friday after developing complications just moments before the air ambulance flying him back to Malta took off. 

Ivan Barbara, 47, was due to arrive in Malta on Friday evening where he would have been transferred to the hospital's intensive care unit for treatment in isolation.

But while the ambulance carrying him from Manavta hospital in New Delhi reached the Indian capital's airport, the man developed complications just before boarding.

He died minutes after being transferred onto the plane, sources said.  

According to WHO directives, COVID-19 victims must be buried within hours of their death.

Times of Malta is informed the man's wife, Rosanne, and newly-adopted daughter, have tested negative for the virus. They are being assisted by the diplomatic corps and it is not yet known when they can fly to Malta.

Just hours before the flight was set to take off, the patient's condition had stabilised enough for him to be cleared to make the arduous journey back via air ambulance. Ahead of the flight, health sources had said the journey would still be a "tough" one given the patient's state and there were fears he could develop complications mid-flight. 

An adoption trip

Barbara, a notary, had travelled to India with his wife to adopt a baby girl in March and the family subsequently tested positive for the virus earlier this month. 

He and his wife had a shared Facebook page, and the last public update was on Monday, with the simple words 'Pray for India'. 

Tributes were paid to the victim, who was described as having a "heart of gold". 

The government was footing the bill for the costs for the France-contracted air ambulance through one of its agencies, Identity Malta.

The ambulance which transferred the man to the Delhi airport ahead of the flight to Malta.

Health sources had said they had no option but to fly the man back to Malta, although they had warned his situation could swiftly take a turn for the worse.

With medics in India losing control of the situation amid a shortage of beds and oxygen, healthcare professionals in Malta feared the man's chances would have been bleak if he remained in the Delhi hospital.  

Aside from treating him, Maltese authorities had also planned to test the man for the Indian virus variant B.1.617, that is sweeping the South Asian country, where infections and deaths have continued to spiral in recent weeks.